The reduction is his latest attempt at staying on the field and becoming more than a might’ve-been.

“That’s one thing I wanted to focus on is losing the weight and not being so bulky,” Mathews said Thursday. “I feel quicker, and I feel faster … I feel healthy. I don’t have all that weight. I remember last year, coming out of the first practice, my legs were tired. Not today.”

OK. Nice start.

And now that training camp has started and players are subject to a curfew at a nearby hotel, we also at least know where he will be at night.

Harsh? Unfair?

No. Actually, it’s a compliment that we care where he is — those of us who haven’t given up on him.

The Chargers would benefit greatly from a running back who has averaged a more-than-respectable 4.4 yards per carry finishing with more than his average of 188 carries per season.

I’m still expecting (hoping for) a lot from the kid. That includes his work ethic and commitment to the little things, like getting enough rest in order to maximize his workouts and, thus, his potential.

What is unfair to Mathews is that a website erroneously reported a few weeks ago that he was arrested at a downtown nightclub. That he had to deal with that was an injustice.

But the fact is, Mathews is more than familiar with the local club scene. He has been out too much, too late — in the opinion of not just me, but people who matter inside Chargers Park.

No one appears to be what you could term worried. More like unimpressed. And that’s a problem given the lack of production so far in the career of a player drafted 12th overall in 2010.

A player has every right to do whatever he wants in his free time. That is especially true in the offseason. But more than one veteran Chargers player expressed recently a belief that Mathews can, at the very least, improve his focus and study habits. Mathews has been spoken to as well.

“I made that a main focus, of just trying to get as much knowledge in my head,” he said, “trying to run on offense as much as I can, and (learn) defenses and everything I can.”

For perspective, I also consulted with a man who is the almost-perfect role model for any young running back.

“Ryan needs to buckle himself down in the classroom and learn a lot more about pass blocking and running routes out of the backfield,” LaDainian Tomlinson said last month.

Speaking of unfair, it is just that to compare Mathews to the future Hall of Famer he replaced. But Mathews has never shied away from saying he aspires to be like LT. That should include Tomlinson’s almost-unmatched dedication in every facet of being a professional.

I’ve always been a fierce protector of players’ rights to privacy and freedom. However, the number of times I’ve heard of Mathews being out late and inebriated, including during the season, is alarming.